Rocket Launch Aborted At Last Second

The launch of a privately owned Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station was delayed on Saturday after a computer detected a possible engine problem with one of the rocket's engines, a Space Exploration Technologies official said, according to Reuters.

Preparations for the launch had proceeded smoothly until 4:55 a.m. when the computer aborted the launch only 0.5 seconds before liftoff.

"Liftoff … we've had a cutoff. Liftoff did not occur, said NASA launch commentator George Diller.

SpaceX president Gwynne Shotwell explained the situation to reporters.

"Just like a pilot at the end of a runway revs the engines and looks at the gauges. We were revving the engines, we were looking at the gauges and we decided not to fly," said Shotwell.